Forecasters have issued a warning that more snow is expected to hit the northern California mountains after a powerful blizzard wreaked havoc over the weekend. The blizzard brought heavy snowfall, strong winds, and caused widespread disruptions, including road closures and power outages.

The storm, which began on Thursday, prompted a blizzard warning that covered a 300-mile stretch of the Sierra Nevada mountains, lasting until Sunday morning. Fierce winds, with gusts reaching up to 145 mph in some areas, uprooted trees and knocked down power lines, leaving residents in darkness.

Despite the blizzard having largely moved through the Sierra Nevada by Monday morning, a winter storm warning remains in effect until Wednesday morning, with up to 12 inches of additional snow expected. The National Weather Service has cautioned drivers against attempting to navigate the snow-covered mountain roads, citing travel delays, chain controls, and reduced visibility.

The severity of the storm complicated efforts to clear roads, causing traffic backups and closures on major highways such as I-80. However, as of Monday morning, sections of Interstate 80 to the west and north of Lake Tahoe have reopened to passenger vehicles, with semi trucks expected to follow suit by midday.

Thousands of homes and businesses remained without power on Monday, with over 8,000 reported outages across the state, according to poweroutage.com.

Ski resorts were also significantly impacted, with the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area forced to close on Sunday due to high winds of up to 70 mph making it unsafe for ski patrol to carry out necessary avalanche mitigation measures. Over three feet of snowfall was recorded over the weekend, with more on the way.

However, the heavy snowfall brought some relief to the state, which has been experiencing a slow start to the wet season. Water managers have reported that California is now on track to reach 100% of its snow averages by the start of April, crucial for the state's water supply. The water equivalent statewide is currently at 104% of normal for this time of year, a significant increase from last week's 81%.

As the snow continues to fall, residents are urged to exercise caution and remain updated on the latest weather advisories.